On the 6th floor of an old apartment building just off the pedestrian street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, a handmade pasta specialty restaurantMoa Moa Pasta Clubhas opened. Step through the entrance and a glass-walledpasta laboratorycatches your eye, where you can watch the chefs knead, cut, and shape the dough through every step.
The glass-walled noodle-making studio is the restaurant’s calling card
Moa Moa’s biggest feature is the open noodle-making space set up inside. All the pasta is finished by hand without machines, with the chef checking the dough’s elasticity and texture by fingertip as it takes shape. The devotion to pasta extends even to the interior, with wooden tabletop inlays modeled after ravioli and farfalle shapes.
The interior was designed by the Ho Chi Minh City design studioThe Lab Saigon(Tess Ngo, Hung Le). The mosaic-tile floor, shifting from deep blue to cream, evokes a work surface dusted with flour from pasta-making. Combining the old building’s straight-lined structure with custom furniture that introduces curves, they created a warm, inviting space.
Notable menu items
The signature dish is a simple plate of house-made spaghetti with tomato sauce, olive oil, garlic, and basil. The presentation—a hemisphere of burrata cheese melting over the warm pasta—has become a talking point on social media. Served before the meal, thehot honey whipped butteris a starter to enjoy with warm bread for a light touch of spice.
| Menu | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| House-made spaghetti + burrata | Handmade noodles with tomato sauce and a hemisphere of melting burrata |
| hot honey whipped butter | Spicy butter to pair with warm bread |
| An assortment of handmade pasta | The shapes and sauces change daily |
Reactions on social media and in the press
Epicure Vietnam featured it in an article, describing it as “a table with quiet warmth.” The design-focused outlet Designboom also introduced the interior design by The Lab Saigon in detail. On Instagram, the @moamoa.sgn account posts videos of pasta-making, and on TikTok food influencers such as cafehoppersaigon have posted visit reviews.
A practical guide for Japanese travelers
It’s on the 6th floor at 40E Ngo Duc Ke Street in District 1. Within walking distance of the pedestrian street Nguyen Hue, it’s easy to stop by while sightseeing. Since it’s on an upper floor of an old apartment building, you may struggle to find the entrance the first time, but just take the elevator up to the 6th floor. The old apartments of District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City have an “apartment mall” culture where cafés and small shops gather, and Moa Moa is one of them. It’s open from 17:00 to 23:30 in the evening.
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A new wave of Italian dining in Ho Chi Minh City
Italian restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City have long centered on pizza, but in recent years small venues specializing in handmade pasta and natural wine have been on the rise. A pasta-workshop style like Moa Moa Pasta Club overlaps with the trend toward “theatrical dining” that makes the chef’s skill visible. Ho Chi Minh City’s distinctive format of renovating a room in an old apartment building is also drawing attention across Southeast Asia’s food and beverage industry.
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| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Shop name | Moa Moa Pasta Club |
| Address | 6F, 40E Ngo Duc Ke, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, HCMC |
| Hours | 17:00〜23:30 |
| Phone | +84 888 154 866 |
| business@moamoapastaclub.com | |
| @moamoa.sgn | |
| Interior design | The Lab Saigon（Tess Ngo & Hung Le） |
Summary
A 6th-floor spot in an old apartment building, with a glass-walled noodle-making studio. Moa Moa Pasta Club is a venue that embodies Ho Chi Minh City’s “hidden-gem food” culture. Add it to a walking route from the pedestrian street.
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